There are so many misconceptions around spirituality, but especially “mysticism” or “mystic philosophy”. Many people tend to think “mystic” means “magic”, or that it’s far beyond critical grounded scholarship.
In this extended episode, Bob, Scott, and Melena go through Bob’s new article “Debunking Mystic Philosophy”, providing a useful intro to mysticism: the symbolic string connecting the pearls of the worlds’ faith traditions. We talk about how mysticism essentially means internal discovery; that the mystic is guided by the intuitive understanding; and that there is a rich spectrum of inclusive, accepting paths.
Mysticism: A Study of the Nature and Development of Man’s Spiritual Consciousness by Evelyn Underhill
History of Mysticism: The Unchanging Testament by Swami Abhayananda